Display package



Oct. 11, 1966 R, VIEMEISTER 3,278,011

DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed May 18, 1964 INVENTOR.

READ VIEMEISTER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,278,011 DISPLAY PACKAGERead Viemeister, Yellow Springs, Ohio, assignor to Vernay Laboratories,Inc, Yellow Springs, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 18, 1964,Ser. No. 368,130 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-4514) This invention relates to anovel display package wherein a packaged article or articles may besuspended within the body of the package, and is visible from theexterior of the package to create an illusion that the packaged articleis free from support by the package structure.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the packaging ofsmall magnetically attractable items, chiefly toys and similarnovelties. The principal object of this invention is to provide a noveldisplay package having at least a portion of its body transparent toallow viewing of a magnetically attractable packaged article, and havinga support at its top including a permanent magnet device which willattract the packaged article under normal conditions toward the top ofthe package, whereby the article appears to be suspended in an unknownway within the center of the package, free from support by its sides andbottom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display package of theaforementioned character, which may be simply constructed of inexpensivematerials, and which preferably includes a tubular body portion havingwalls which are transparent, together with structure for mounting apermanent magnet at the top of the body portion of the package forattracting articles Within the body portion away from the sides andbottom thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a package in the formof a tubular body portion having a closed bottom and transparent sidewalls, together with a platform extending across the open top of thebody portion and covered by a cap or similar cover member whichcooperates with the platform to form a small chamber at the top of thepackage in which the permanent magnet member can be retained.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a displaypackage in which the platform includes parts of semispherical shape,extending partially into the body poition of the package, and forming asupport for a spherical permanent magnet member of somewhat lessdiameter than the semi-spherical part of the platform, whereby thespherical magnet member is free to orient itself to the proper polarityfor attracting an article to be displayed within the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a package wherein thesemi-sphenical part of the platform is constructed of thin non-magneticmaterial which presents a minimum of separation between the permanentmagnet member and the article, and which presents minimum interferenceto the establishment of a magnetic field between the magnet member andthe article.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, the ac companying drawing and theappended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a preferred form ofdisplay package constructed accord ing to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken throughthe package shown in FIG. 1, with the cap, platform, magnet, andpackaged article in normal position; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the cooperation betweenthe spherical permanent magnet member, the supporting platform, and thepackaged article.

3,278,011 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 ice Referring to the drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the novel packageincludes a tubular body portion 10, preferably formed from transparentmaterial such as a cellulose acetate or equivalent, and having a closedbottom 12 which may be formed by a flanged disc-like member welded orotherwise secured to the body member 10. The body portion 10 is open atits top, which includes a rolled inward rim 14. On this rim there issupported a platform 15, the periphery of which is of approximately thesame diameter as the rolled rim portion 14, in order to rest upon suchrim. The central part of the platform includes a depending portion 18,preferably of semi-spherical shape, or substantially such shape, suchthat with the platform in position the portion 18 extends somewhat intothe body portion iii. The platform can conveniently be molded ofmaterial similar to that from which the present portion is constructed,and thus may also be transparent, although this is not essential. Also,the platform may conveniently either be formed as a continuous member orit may be discontinuous, such as being provided with one or moreapertures therethrough.

The package is provided with a cover or lid 20 including a dependingflange 21 which fits snugly around the upper end of the body portion 10,serving to cover the open end of the package, and to form with theplatform 15 a cavity or chamber 22. In this chamber there is a permanentmagnet member 25, preferably spherical in shape. This magnet member maybe conveniently formed of a synthetic rubber material, or equivalent,containing ferrous particles which are magnetized by any suitableprocess, thus producing the spherical permanent magnet member which willexhibit north and south magnetic polarities, as indicated in FIG. 3. Itshould be understood that the permanent magnet member does notnecessarily have to be of this form. However, in a preferred embodimentof the construction the spherical permanent magnet is employed and thedepending central section 18 of the platform is formed to the generallysemi-spherical shape of somewhat greater radius than the magnet member.This arrangement permits the magnet member to rotate easily in order toalign itself in a position where the most effective magnetic circuit isestablished.

The article or articles to be packaged and displayed are indicated bythe general reference numeral 30. In the example illustrated thesearticles are additional permanent magnet spheres, of differentdiameters, and form a novel and instructive toy for demonstrating thevarious properties of magnetic fields, and for performing varioustricks. It should be understood, however, that the package is useful forenclosing and displaying any type of small article which is magneticallyattractable. One purpose of the invention is to hold the article orarticles 30 suspended beneath the platform 15, and visible through thebody portion 10, such that when the package is held erect, the articleappears to be suspended freely within the body portion, and is out ofcontact with the walls and bottom, in apparent defiance of the laws ofgravity.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, where the magnetic polarities are notedon the magnet member 25 within the chamber 22, and on one of the members30, the mounting of the member 25 within the semi-spherical portion ofthe platform enables it to rotate with sufiicient ease that the pole,here the north pole, of the member 25 can be most effectively aligned.The thickness of the platform member 15, or at least the portion 18thereof, is maintained at a minimum, and of course the platform memberis constructed of material which offers minimum interference to themagnetic lines of force. Also, the external partial spherical surfacepresented by the bottom of the platform section 18 results in minimumsurface contact between it and the supported article 30, and thuspresents a minimum of interference to the optimum orientation betweenthis article and the magnet member 25.

While the form of the apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display package for a magnetically attractable article, saidpackage comprising a tubular body portion closed at its bottom andhaving an open top, said body portion having at least a section thereoftransparent for viewing of the article contained therein, a coverremovably mounted across said open top of said body portion, a thinnon-magnetic supporting platform mounted beneath said cover and acrosssaid open top of said body portion and defining with said top adepending chamber separated from the remainder of the interior of saidbody portion, a permanent magnet member of predetermined shape containedin said chamber, said platform having a portion thereof formed to agenerally corresponding shape to said magnet member to facilitatemovement of said magnet member into a position of optimum alignment witha magnetically attractable article contained in said body portion toestablish a magnetic circuit of optimum strength through said platformbetween said magnet member and the article for causing the article to besuspended against the undersurface of said platform and apparently freefrom support by said body portion.

2. In a display package as defined in claim 1, the combination whereinsaid permanent magnet member is of spherical shape, and said portion ofsaid platform is formed to a generally semi-spherical shape of slightlygreater radius than said spherical magnet member.

3. A display package as defined in claim 2, wherein said platform andsaid tubular body portion are constructed of transparent material, andwherein said platform is of minimum thickness and of a non-magneticmaterial to provide for attraction of the packaged article into closeproximity with said magnet member and to establish an optimum magneticcircuit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,202 9/1940Odell .Q 206-47 2,621,661 12/ 1952 Gaskin.

2,848,006 8/1958 Simpson.

3,127,011 3/1964 Weddle 20645 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,348,460 12/ 1963 France.1,369,370 7/1964 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE ARTICLE, SAIDPACKAGE COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION CLOSED AT ITS BOTTOM ANDHAVING AN OPEN TOP, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING AT LEAST A SECTION THEREOFTRANSPARENT FOR VIEWING OF THE ARTICLE CONTAINED THEREIN, A COVERREMOVABLY MOUNTED ACROSS SAID OPEN TOP OF SAID BODY PORTION, A THINNON-MAGNETIC SUPPORTING PLATFORM MOUNTED BENEATH SAID COVER AND ACROSSSAID OPEN TOP OF SAID BODY PORTION AND DEFINING WITH SAID TOP ADEPENDING CHAMBER SEPARATED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE INTERIOR OF SAIDBODY PORTION, A PERMANENT MAGNET MEMBER OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE CONTAINEDIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID PLATFORM HAVING A PORTION THEREOF FORMED TO AGENERALLY CORRESPONDING SHAPE TO SAID MAGNET MEMBER TO FACILITATEMOVEMENT OF SAID MAGNET MEMBER INTO A POSITION OF OPTIMUM ALIGNMENETWITH A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE ARTICLE CONTAINED IN SAID BODY PORTIONTO ESTABLISH A MAGNETIC CIRCUIT OF OPTIMUM STRENGTH THROUGH SAIDPLATFORM BETWEEN SAID MAGNET MEMBER AND THE ARTICLE FOR CAUSING THEARTICLE TO BE SUSPENDED AGAINST THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID PLAFTFORM ANDAPPARENTLY FREE FROM SUPPORT BY SAID BODY PORTION.